Duskman Film Review

Star rating: 5/5

Writer: Sam Winterton

Director: Sam Winterton

Starring: Sam Winterton, Helen Regan and Anthony Wright

Duskman is a superhero film with a difference. Jim, an ordinary lad with a job he doesn’t very much enjoy and doesn’t pay well, and a music side-hustle, finds relief within his imagination- what his counsellor would describe as ‘a coping mechanism’ in the face of trauma.

From the opening scene, which features a cartoon- style animation of a city sweetly reminiscent of Townsville from Powerpuff Girls, the viewer is gripped and entertained. ‘Sometimes I need the city more than it needs me’, says Duskman- Jim’s superhero alter-ego. The superhero’s love for his town and its people is a principle in every story of the genre, but in Jim’s case it is different, because he seems to need to re-assess his relationship with the place he lives, a place where, according to one of the villains, ‘bad things happen all the time’.

Duskman features a brilliant cast playing really memorable characters. It’s delightful to see two really well defined and strong female characters, Jim’s friend Ellen, and his counsellor. They are the ones he seems to trust the most, who are truly present. There is a lovely scene between Jim and Ellen portraying a spontaneity that is unusual between friends in 2025. These female characters are also really well brought out by a wonderfully dynamic, rhythmical script. Duskman is written in such a way that the characters’ struggles and imagination are consistently interwoven, bringing their stories to life with a huge level of creativity.

Technically this is a brilliant film, seamlessly switching between cinematic, drama genre style and the superhero genre style of shots and lighting, giving it a genuinely original voice. Added to this technical attention is the inspired choice of locations: alleyways, Jim’s unloved work office, time-worn redbrick buildings, railway bridges, walls covered in colourful, meaningful graffiti art. The contrast between this unmistakably British town setting- Leicester to be precise- and the Townsville of Jim’s imagination is attention- grabbing in a brilliant, almost comic-like way and makes this a really atmospheric film.

The costume and make up departments deserve a huge shout out, especially for the superhero scenes- they are imaginative and bold and blend consistently in with the locations. A word also about the great original score. Both musically and lyrically they make real justice to the film.

In today’s world, we really need humorurs, sincere and genuinely entertaining films like Duskman.